Hyderabad’s iconic 69-foot Khairatabad Ganesh idol was immersed in Hussain Sagar on Friday, drawing thousands of devotees as the city witnessed a grand and colourful culmination to the 12-day Ganesh festival.
Hyderabad, Sept 2026 : Hyderabad’s iconic Khairatabad Ganesh, popularly known as ‘Bada Ganesh’, was immersed in Hussain Sagar lake on Friday amid devotional fervour, with thousands of devotees gathering along NTR Marg to witness the culmination of the annual Ganesh festival.
The 69-foot-tall idol, themed ‘Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati’, was transported from the Khairatabad pandal on a specially designed Tusker vehicle before being shifted towards the immersion point. A massive crane was used to lift and lower the idol into the lake.
The immersion at NTR Marg proceeded smoothly as devotees lined the route and the lakefront. Large crowds participated in the Shobayatra, creating a festive atmosphere as chants and devotional music accompanied the procession.
The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee coordinated with Hyderabad Police, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other government departments to ensure the safe movement and immersion of the giant idol. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar personally inspected the arrangements at the Khairatabad mandap.
Transporting the massive idol remains one of the biggest logistical challenges of the annual celebrations. This year, the approximately two-kilometre journey from Khairatabad to NTR Marg took more than five hours, with the procession passing through Telephone Bhavan and the Secretariat area.
Thousands of devotees had visited the idol for prayers during the 12-day festival. The Khairatabad Ganesh has been a major attraction of Hyderabad’s Ganesh celebrations for nearly seven decades.
The tradition began in 1954, when organisers installed a one-foot-tall idol. The height was subsequently increased by one foot almost every year, turning Khairatabad Ganesh into one of the city’s most recognisable religious and cultural landmarks. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers installed a one-foot idol despite plans for a 66-foot installation.
Every year, the organisers select a new theme and form for the idol. This year’s Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati was unveiled as the central attraction of the celebrations. Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla offered the first prayers on September 14, while state Minister Ponnam Prabhakar offered silk robes on behalf of the government.
The idol has also traditionally attracted prominent visitors, including the Governor, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, ministers and other public figures.
Former Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender also participated in Friday’s immersion procession. He was seen dancing with women police personnel to the song ‘Aaya Sher’ from the film The Paradise.
Nagender’s participation came a day after the Supreme Court upheld the Telangana High Court’s decision disqualifying him as an MLA under the anti-defection law. Nagender had won Khairatabad on a BRS ticket in 2023 before joining Congress and contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Secunderabad. The Supreme Court found no reason to interfere with the High Court’s ruling.
The immersion marked the conclusion of another major edition of Hyderabad’s centuries-old Ganesh festival tradition, with devotees bidding farewell to the Khairatabad Bada Ganesh amid prayers and celebrations.
